Jakie było wyzwanie/problem?

Drought situations are increasingly common in mainland Portugal, particularly in the Alentejo. In those times, those who have cattle are obliged to buy straw and feed to feed the animals, with high costs for agricultural exploitation, limiting their activity in a decisive way. Opuntia ficus-indica is a species that grows naturally in semi-arid areas and has fast growth, high biomass and very low maintenance / production cost. Being very desirable for cattle, its use in animal feed leads to significant increases in milk and meat production, simultaneously reducing feed costs, especially during periods of drought. This practical case developed tests to assess the needs and opportunities of the crop, identification of cultural practices (planting, irrigation, fertilization, pruning, pest identification and control, harvesting) that promote its rapid development and profitability. In a second stage, the development of tools to support the use of Opuntia as fodder for sheep, goats and cows was promoted, with the aim of minimizing costs, increasing animal growth and milk production.

Jakie są czynniki sukcesu w rozwiązaniu problemu?

Knowledge transfer from dry regions like Brasil; Interaction with experts from Brasil and EMBRAPA; 4 demonstration farms with different climate conditions; demonstrate the benefits applicable to the entire value chain

What were the main challenges during the innovation process?

Develop a balanced diet for livestock; define the size of the crop area in relation to the number of available cattle; resistance to change by some farmers

Jaką rolę odgrywa doradca lub usługa doradcza w praktycznym przypadku?

Advisory, consultancy and backstopping aimed at solving complex problems, to be provided during the innovation process and based on demands of actors and the co-construction of solutions, Demand articulation, to allow actors to have access to new ideas, identify their needs, define their objectives and express clear demands to other actors, Networking facilitation and brokerage, to help organize or strengthen networks, improve the relationships between key actors and to align services in order to be able to complement each other, Enhancing/supporting access to resources by facilitating access to inputs, facilities and funding, Scaling up the innovation to increase the uptake by a broader group

For sharing experience of the practical case, prosimy o kontakt

Ricardo Brito Paes

ricardobritopaes@hotmail.com